William Elisha Stoker to Elizabeth E. Stoker, December 21, 1862

Fatigue with the constant, grinding war was evident in Confederate soldier William Stoker’s letter to his wife, Elizabeth. Since he and many others had been sick, he was frustrated with the inadequate medical care provided in the army camps. Also, his division was on the move but many did not know where they were headed. Stoker suggested that the war will not be ended by the fighting, but instead when all the soldiers desert. He expressed a strong desire to come home as well, since his “tongue cant express” how much he wanted to see his family. (By Morgan Mintz)

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William Elisha Stoker to Elizabeth E. Stoker, December 21, 1862, William E. Stoker Papers, National Civil War Museum, Harrisburg, PA.

Dear Wife I embrace the presant opportunity of writeting you a few lines to let you know how I am. I am not verry well. Ive had the diarheoa about a week and I am not verry well yet. I feel verry week this morning. The sick has to go every morning when the drums beets to the Doctors to get medisens. I went this morning to the medicle tent and there was no doctor there and the ordiley sargant went after him and he swore he be damed if he come untill he got his breakfast and consiquentley I havent got any thing yet to help me. I do hope thees few lines will find you and familey well. Ive nothing new to write that would interest you. I wrote to you in my last letter that we was order to vixburg [Vicksburg]. The order was countermanded before we crossed the Arkansas River. We are now in a mile and half of Little Rock. I dont know where we will go from hear. There is such talk as talk as going to Fort Smith about 200 miles abov hear on the Arkansas river. But it is unsertain where we will go any where just so we are paddleing about threw the mud and water. When we came from biometer [Camp Bio Meter] dow hear we had to walk threw the mud and water three days and the first night we got hear it rained all night. There wasent a drye tent on the camp ground. The water just run over the ditches round our tents just as if there was non there. The water in our tent was shoe mouth deep and round our fier the saim way. I was so tierd. I sot up as long as I could and made a brush heep in our tent and then spred our bed close on them. Was all the chance for a tierd soldier to sleep. It was to much for any boddy to bear. It made lots sick. Some of them got sick a purprs just to go to the horse pittle to get out of it and mostley to get across the river so they could come home. There has 9 deserted out of this companey in the last too weekes. Ile name some that livs in our cuntry John Heathcox, Jo Day, Bill Reavs, Mart Numan, Guss Newberry. The rest livs up abov us there. The soldiers in this armey is getting verry tierd. They dont think this ware will be ended by fightting. They are deserting constent. All that Ive heard say any thing about the boys deserting they say they glory in there spunk and every once and while they hollow whooraw for Capt Duncans men. Betty I giv John Heathcox a dime to make you a ring. He can make a nice plan ring and he went off before he made it. Tell Mrs heathcox to tell him to make it and give it to you. I thought I would get him to make it and I would send it to you in a letter. I wanted to get you a gold one but I havent had the chance. If you see Mrs Heathcox soon tell her that I say John had better keep out of the way. I understand that General McCuller [McCulloch] has got a squad of men after them. The men isent from this regament. They are cavalry. If they get them the penalty will be pretty heavvy if not death. There is none of them that wants to see their spicie [spouse] any worse than I do nore there isent any of them that loves their spicie any better than I do. Ive sorter ben looking for you and mother up hear every since Ive received your letter. You wrote that mother spoke of comeing up hear some times and that you wanted to come up with her but you couldent because you had so much weaving to do. I dont want you to work too hard. I wish I could come to see you. It isent worth while to say any thing about wantting to see you for I cant tell you. Tongue cant express now. I cant write with this pen how bad I want to see you. If it want for the after clap I would hav ben home to see you before now but if I desert and come any how Ile hav to keep a going untill I get over in to mexico. I hav ben tempted to do that. Come by home and stay a while and put out and then I could get a furlow when I wantted it. If I would come I could get companey. When you get this write to me the sentiments of the people back there now. What they think about this ware? We are kept so clost in camps we cant hear nothing and when we get out we hav to get a pass from our Capt and then get it assigned by our Col and then get it assigned by the Col commanding brigade and then we cant get a pass for a longer time than 12 hours. I am tierd of the ware. Sometimes when I begin to think and meditate how I hav enjoied my self at home. It looks like I cant bear to stay hear any longer. Sometimes I think if I was to desert I couldent worst my self. It is but did know how I was there I would dye before I would come back. I had rather be in rovers place than to be hear. He gets better diet to eat than I do. If Mother dont get no letters from Thomas tell her that he is sick and the horse pittle in Little Rock. I went over to see him day before yestedey. He was able to set up but looked bad. I think he is getting well. James Booth and Walt and also George Jones was verry sick. I havent seen Sid in about too weekes. Henry Jones and Charley was over hear yestedey. They said Sid was well and that they was going to elect him third lutenant in that companey. Nothing more. Ile close by saing I remain your effectionate husband untill death. William E. Stoker
To Mrs. E. E. Stoker To Mrs. E. E. Stoker